Oak Creek Lake Vista Redevelopment

For more than a century, a stretch of Lake Michigan shoreline south of Milwaukee was an industrial workhorse. When industrial activity declined in the 1970s and ‘80s, the site sat vacant for decades, scarred by soils contaminated with arsenic and other pollutants. The City of Oak Creek embarked on a plan to clean up the large lakefront parcel and turn it into an asset for the community.

Lake Vista Park is the cornerstone of a comprehensive plan that transforms approximately 250 acres of former brownfields into a vibrant system of community open space, restored wildlife habitat, and new homes and businesses. The vision coming to life also enhances Oak Creek’s waterfront, reuniting residents with the lake and spurring new investment in the local economy.

The Lakefront Redevelopment Action Plan, completed by SmithGroup, provided a guiding framework for the transformation. Environmental remediation began with a partnership between the City, the Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources and the former industrial owners. The plan reserved the lakefront portion of the site for a large community park, ensuring public access to Lake Michigan and preserving vital habitat along a critically important migratory bird path. The action plan set guidelines for redevelopment that would benefit the community by co-mingling shoreline and natural habitat restoration with recreation and housing.

SmithGroup served as lead consultant for the design and implementation of Lake Vista Park, coordinating a team of landscape architects, coastal engineers, civil engineers and architects and engaging the public through interactive meetings and workshops.

Water quality was a major driver of the design. Because the center of the site is under a clay cap that restricts water infiltration, bioswales direct surface flows to clay-lined biofiltration basins. Permeable pavers with underdrains capture subsurface flow and redirect it off the cap for infiltration.

A new trail weaves down the bluff to the shoreline, along with other accessible paths and overlooks. A nature exploration walk through the woods supports future development of a community-built nature playground. An open multi-use lawn area hosts festivals and field sports, with picnic shelters and a community pavilion to support other events. Throughout the park, context-sensitive design and materials speak to the ecology of Lake Michigan. What was once a source of pollution is now a source of pride that brings a renewed sense of community and economic momentum to Oak Creek.